2014 MLB Thread & Pissing Match

[buckchuckler]

Back to baseball, after watching Clayton Kershaw pitch for an inning last night  I don't know how anyone ever gets a hit off that guy.  Quirky mechanics and filthy stuff.

That guy is just unreal. 

[brandx]

Back to baseball, after watching Clayton Kershaw pitch for an inning last night  I don't know how anyone ever gets a hit off that guy.  Quirky mechanics and filthy stuff.

He is just fun to watch.

And love watching Sale pitch to lefties.

[buckchuckler]

He is just fun to watch.

And love watching Sale pitch to lefties.

As a Sox fan, I just love watching Sale pitch.  The Sox haven't had a pitcher as dominant as he is in quite a while. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

That guy is just unreal. 

Until the playoffs

[buckchuckler]

Until the playoffs

Yeah, he certainly is no john lackey 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Comerica Park is a pitcher's park.   

According to what stat?

Currently, Comerica Park is ranked as the 7th best hitting park in the MLB out of 30 stadiums.  Angel Stadium ranked 18th.

Compared to Angels Stadium, or any of the west coast stadiums where the marine layer keeps runs down, it really isn't that close of a comparison.  Comerica does have foul ball territory to help pitchers, but the warm air, great power alleys, etc, don't make it a pitcher's park statistically speaking which is saying something, especially with a staff like the Tigers have.

Whether is ESPN, Bill James, Fantasy Baseball sites, I can't find any that has Comerca ranked as a top pitcher's park, and certainly not above Angels stadium. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, he certainly is no john lackey  

I was at this game, never forget it.  Go Halos.  He pitched great, as a rookie starting game 7 and didn't phase him one bit.




Lackey doesn't have Kershaw's stuff.  Kershaw needs to be better than he has been in the playoffs.  

1-3, 4.23 ERA overall.  In the NLCS, he is 0-3 with a 7.23ERA

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Less than an hour from the border.  I'll be at the Rogers Center tomorrow night to see the Jays.

[CTWarrior]

Less than an hour from the border.  I'll be at the Rogers Center tomorrow night to see the Jays.

Let me know how it is.  Not much time to get away this year, so my annual baseeball trip with my son will be to Atlanta to see the Braves a couple times next weekend.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Will do.  Waiting to cross at Niagara Falls now.  I'll be in Atlanta in August and Braves are home but won't have time to go as I'm stopping over on our way to Florida

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Let me know how it is.  Not much time to get away this year, so my annual baseeball trip with my son will be to Atlanta to see the Braves a couple times next weekend.

The Rogers Center / Skydome was a good watch.  They opened the roof and it was a perfect sunny evening in Toronto.  We were sitting in left field about 6 rows from the field, but the lower outfield level hangs over the wall so it didn't feel as close.  My 11 year old loves Melky Cabrera since he wad a Yankee so it was good to sit behind him in the outfield to keep the kids interested.  We couldn't see the Jumbotron in center field from where we sat but that was indicated when I bought the tickets.  Loudest place I saw game.  Toronto is a way better baseball town than I thought and there were blue shirts everywhere the whole weekend.  Game was a near sell-out.  Beer was the same price as Yankee Stadium.  And our friends from Ontario recommended taking the subway to downtown and it was a good call.

[MUDPT]

Until the playoffs

I get what you are saying, but 27 teams would trade their Number 1 starter straight up for Kershaw to start Game 1 of the playoffs.  Seattle probably wouldn't and St. Louis might not.  His xFIP is 3.69 in the postseason, 3.19 overall in his career.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I get what you are saying, but 27 teams would trade their Number 1 starter straight up for Kershaw to start Game 1 of the playoffs.  Seattle probably wouldn't and St. Louis might not.  His xFIP is 3.69 in the postseason, 3.19 overall in his career.

Of course.  He is the best pitcher in baseball. 

[CTWarrior]

The Rogers Center / Skydome was a good watch.  They opened the roof and it was a perfect sunny evening in Toronto.  We were sitting in left field about 6 rows from the field, but the lower outfield level hangs over the wall so it didn't feel as close.  My 11 year old loves Melky Cabrera since he wad a Yankee so it was good to sit behind him in the outfield to keep the kids interested.  We couldn't see the Jumbotron in center field from where we sat but that was indicated when I bought the tickets.  Loudest place I saw game.  Toronto is a way better baseball town than I thought and there were blue shirts everywhere the whole weekend.  Game was a near sell-out.  Beer was the same price as Yankee Stadium.  And our friends from Ontario recommended taking the subway to downtown and it was a good call.

Thanks for the update.  I've been to 23 MLB ballparks (to be fair, that includes the 3 different Yankee Stadiums, and 2 different parks each for the White Sox, Mets and Brewers) but haven't yet been to Toronto.  My favorite ballpark is Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.

How was the drive from CT?  Seems quite a haul. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Thanks for the update.  I've been to 23 MLB ballparks (to be fair, that includes the 3 different Yankee Stadiums, and 2 different parks each for the White Sox, Mets and Brewers) but haven't yet been to Toronto.  My favorite ballpark is Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.

How was the drive from CT?  Seems quite a haul. 

CT Warrior - 23 is impressive.  I've only got eleven (11) including old & new Yankee Stadium, new White Sox, old Brewers, old Mets Shea Stadium and the now defunct Olympic Stadium for an Expos game.  Yankee stadium excluded, my last three have been Toronto this year, Tropicana Field in St. Pete's last year, Minute Maid in Houston the year before.  We may work in a Nationals game in August depending on how our visit to DC unfolds.

For this trip, we left Conn. for Niagara Falls at 6:30AM and pulled into our hotel around 2:15pm (includes a 25 min wait at the border).  A straight shot up Rt-8 to I-90 and then I-90 all the way to Canada.  I-90 doesn't go through any big cities in upstate NY, so it's a very easy ride across.  Toronto is only 1hr / 1hr&15min from Niagara Falls.  (It took us longer as we visited a few of the many wineries on the way.)   

My wife and I like and don't mind long road trips.  DVDs occupy the kids for hours.  We've done a drive out to Milwaukee once, Myrtle Beach twice, Florida twice (soon three).  Last year on our drive to Florida we left Conn. at 5:30AM and arrived in our hotel in Orlando exactly at midnight.  We're through Conn. & NYC before rush hour and arrive in the Philly area after rush hour and the traffic is good passing through DC around 11:00/Noon timeframe and then there is absolutely nothing between DC & Jacksonville, FL (unless you chose the option that goes by Richmond) with a 70mph speed limit.  Nothing like having your own car when on vacation.

[buckchuckler]

I get what you are saying, but 27 teams would trade their Number 1 starter straight up for Kershaw to start Game 1 of the playoffs.  Seattle probably wouldn't and St. Louis might not.  His xFIP is 3.69 in the postseason, 3.19 overall in his career.

You may have to put the white sox there as well.  Sale is a monster, signed long term and very affordable.  He's not as good as Kershaw but the value is there.

[NavinRJohnson]

This morning, all three NL divisions are tied, with all 6 teams basically within a game of one another. Just a touch of parity heading toward the trade deadline and pennant races.

[🏀]

You may have to put the white sox there as well.  Sale is a monster, signed long term and very affordable.  He's not as good as Kershaw but the value is there.

As good as Sale is, his days are numbered.

[brandx]

As good as Sale is, his days are numbered.

Hard to see him still being effective at 30 with that arm action. Hard on the body.

[🏀]

Hard to see him still being effective at 30 with that arm action. Hard on the body.

Even 30 maybe a miracle

[buckchuckler]

No actually I haven't heard of many incidents of retaliation against clearly non-intentional HBP before.

Just happened again. In the Sox-Royals game tonight. 

[buckchuckler]

As good as Sale is, his days are numbered.

Yeah, he doesn't have the perfect mechanics of Jose Fernandez, Adam Wainwright, Matt Moore, Matt Harvey, or Ben Sheets.  

He may be injured, but it probably won't have anything to do with his arm slot or his delivery.  Trying to prognosticate what pitchers will be injured, especially based on their motions is just silly.    

He is probably most similar to Randy Johnson in terms of build and motion, and he pitched until he was 104. 

[brandx]

Just happened again. In the Sox-Royals game tonight. 

I think there is some history here. I believe these are the 5th & 6th hit batters in games between KC and CWS this year.

[buckchuckler]

I think there is some history here. I believe these are the 5th & 6th hit batters in games between KC and CWS this year.

Not really.  There is nothing obvious anyways.  Even when they are terrible, I watch the Sox religiously, I can't think of any bad blood with the royals

[🏀]

Yeah, he doesn't have the perfect mechanics of Jose Fernandez, Adam Wainwright, Matt Moore, Matt Harvey, or Ben Sheets. 

He may be injured, but it probably won't have anything to do with his arm slot or his delivery.  Trying to prognosticate what pitchers will be injured, especially based on their motions is just silly.   

He is probably most similar to Randy Johnson in terms of build and motion, and he pitched until he was 104. 

This is a gimmick, right?